201O International Conference on Computer, Mechatronics, Control and Electronic Engineering (CMCE)

Analysis of Influence Factors for FEA-based Cross-magnetic Gear

Transmission Performance*

Wang Zhi-ming,Sun Tao,Tang Dong-mei,Zhu Chong-hui

School ofMechatronic Engineering and Automation, Shanghai University
suwangzm@sina.com

Delivering torque is an important transmission

Abstract indicator of tooth gear performance, and it is
i n f l u e n c e d by t o o t h s h a p e , p o l e n u m b e r s ,
slenderness ratio, air gap size between gears,
Due to the complexity of the analysis and calculator
m a g n e t m a t e r i a l s a n d o t h e r p a r a m e t e r sll.21
of magnetic properties, the method which is based on
Transmission torque finally boils down to solving
the finite element is proposed. This method is used to
the problem of electromagnetic field. In the
calculate transmission torque of cross-magnetic gear.
previous study, the methods to analyze and
The impact of some factors on the transmission torque
calculator the magnetic field magnetic gear are: the
which is based on the method is analyzed. First,
magnetic circuit method, graphical method, testing
according to research objectives, ProlE model of
method, analytical method and numerical
cross-magnetic gear is imported into ANSYS to shape
calculation method. The former four methods are
the analysis model. After setting the parameters,
mainly used for relatively low accuracy
Maxwell force is calculated and the transmission
requirements and simple distribution o f magnetic
torque is obtained by the corresponding formulas.
field questions. With the development of computer
Finally, the impacts of magnetic gear poles, pole gaps,
technology, for some complex distribution of
the relative angles between magnetic gears and other
magnetic field and high precision situation, the
factors on the transmission torque are analyzed. The
numerical calculation method is used. Numerical
simulation results show that the transmission
methods are finite difference method, integral
performance of magnetic gear is influenced by tooth
equation method and finite element method in
shape, pole numbers, slenderness ratio, air gap size
b e tween gears, magnet materials and o t h e r
which finite element method is the most wi ely d
used methodI34/. In this paper, we use finite element
parameters. I n the same circumstances, the relative
method. The elastomer is imaginary divided into
angle between two magnetic gears is maximal when
each finite unit consisting of a combination body,
the parameters are eight poles and O.6mm gap. The
that is the graphics calculation is divided into grids
result is of great value in the improvement of magnetic
of finite units, and the entire elastomer is
gear transmission performance.
discretized by constructing interpolation
Key words: cross-axis, magnetic gear, finite element,
displacement function, and further the stress value
transmission performance
is obtained. This process is divided into three
stages: pre-processing, calculation and post
1. Introduction
processing. Pre-processing is to establish the finite
element model of cross-magnetic gear, to complete
Cross-magnetic gear is a new type of magnetic the cell grid. Calculation stage is to analyze and
t r a nsmission m e cha nism, which is cy linder calculator the finite element model which is
surrounded by magnetized fan-shaped permanent mposed various initial conditions. Post-processing
magnet along the radial and is alternately arranged IS to collect and process the analysis results and be
in accordance with N pole and S pole. The driving easily access for users to get information, to
gear drives driven gear to deliver transmission calculate the Maxell and the transmission torque
torque by magnetic coupling of magnetic gears. which can be obtained by the corresponding
Therefore, magnet feed is of many advantages such formulas. Through computer simulation, the
as easily processed, non-contact transmission impacts of magnetic gear poles, pole gaps, the
without lubrication, friction-free power relative angles between magnetic gears and other
consumption, no noise and s o on. And it has a factors on the transmission torque are analyzed.
broad application prospects. The result is of great significance in the

* This study is supported by National Natural Science Foundation

(Project No: 50705053), Shanghai Municipal Education Commission
funded project (Project Number: 07zz04)

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978-1-4244-7956-6110/$26.00 2010 IEEE CMCE2010

improvement of magnetic gear transmission per
formance.
2. Finite element analysis of cross-axis gear
transmission
2.1. The determination of magnetic gear tra
nsmission parameters
According to the experiment's requirements and
actual production capacity, the magnetic gears with Al
Fe-B material, 90 degrees transmission angle of two
axis, 45 degrees magnetic inclination angle, 45mm
outside diameter, 35mm inside diameter, 22mm tooth
width, 8 poles and 44mm center distance of two gears
are chosen.
2.2. The setting and ANSYS import of the
three-dimensional magnetic gear transmission
model
material, the magnetic coercive force value is along the
X direction. Therefore, in the defmition of unit
coordinate system, X-axis of each unit coordinate
system need to be pointed to magnetization direction
of each magnetic pole. Then it would be easier to
specify the material by synthesis of material properties
and cell coordinates.
There are two forms to divide grid, one is to define
the length of the edge element, and the other is to
define the number of division element. In this article,
smart division method is used. According to this
method, there are totally 16537 nodes and 18416 units
of the finite element model of magnetic gear.
When setting the finite element parameters, the type
of analysis is selected S TATIC type. After the
transmission analysis and calculation of magnetic
gears are finished, post-processing is started. Post
processing uses a common Postl and time course post
processing Post26. The distribution of magnetic field
strength B and the distribution of H are obtained [6).

According to the design parameters, ProlE is used

to establish the three-dimensional transmission model.
The model in ProlE is imported into ANS YS to
establish ANAYS model. In order to reflect the
authenticity of the situation, 170 x 170 x 120mm air
model is built between two cross-magnetic gears.
In the finite element analysis, solid96 is used to
made three-dimensional magnetic field model
which geometry, node locations and element
coordinate system are appointed. Unit type is defined
by defining the eight nodes and associated material
properties. Material properties are defined in the model
should be divided into three definitions because the
analysis model includes the permanent magnet area
and the air. For the multi-polar permanent magnet
3. The analysis of cross-magnetic gear
transmission performance factor
The transmission performance of cross-magnetic
gear is influenced by pole numbers, pole gaps and
relative angles of the magnetic wheel key.
on 3.1. Pole numbers of magnetic gear
The number of poles is just like the number of gear
teeth. The number of teeth is a very important design
parameters in gear design. And so is in the magnetic
gears. This is why pole numbers on transmission
torque should be considered into account. When the
geometry of the magnets remained unchanged (gear
outside diameter 0 42mm, inside diameter d
= =

designation, unit model coordinate system need to be

established, and the magnetic gear poles are defined
through the establishment of the related polar unit
coordinate system and material properties.
properties of S pole magnetic materials used in this test
are as follows. The relative permeability /l )s 1.35,
saturation magnetic flux density B is 0.82T , magnetic
32mm, tooth width b = 2lmm) and the work gaps are
the same (Imm between two gears), the influence of
magnetic gear poles numbers on the maximum
The transmission torque are shown in Figure I.
Table 1. The magnetic gear force moment of
different pole number, (pole numb e r : A,
transmission torque: N cm)

induction coercive forceH is 482 KA/m, the vacuum

cb
permeability /l is 4n: xlO-7T ml A. Air-gap parameter is
o pole number 4 8 12 16 20
that the relative permeability is I. The definition of N
pole material is basically the same as S pole. But in
order to distinguish the magnetization direction of two transmission torque 12.5 24.9 18.4 14.8 13
kinds of materials, the input of magnetic coercive force
is negativel51.In the analysis, unit coordinate systems From Figure I., Maxwell forces could be calculated
which corresponding to each poles need to be defined. and the transmission torques are obtained by the
In this article, when specifying N pole and S pole

10 1
 n= 12 n= 16

Figure 1. The finite element analysis of different magnetic gear pole numbers

corresponding formulas. Specific values are listed in inside and outside diameters of magnetic poles
Table l. remained unchanged, if the number of poles increased,
In the following analysis of the impact of other the magnetic field strength also increased, however,
parameters on the magnetic gear transmission torque, the surface area of each pole is getting smaller.
maxwell face of driven gear is established, and Therefore, both resulted to a certain relationship
maxwell force is obtained by the finite element between the maximum peak torque and the number of
analysis, then the transmission torque is got by the magnetic pole.
relevant mathematical calculations. Therefore, the According to the values of the magnetic gear
magnetic field intensity distribution map under transmission torque obtained, the transmission torque
different parameters are listed below and each driven values of magnetic gear in different pole numbers can
gear suffered maxwell is no longer graphic described be plotted which as shown in Figure 2.
but given the transmission torque value in the various
26
tables.

\
The number of poles n = 4 is took as an example to
illustrate the method of solving torque. After finite 22

element analysis, the various components of the

maxwell force respectively are 0.15317E +02 in X

.
direction, -0.15884E +00 in Y direction and 0.38332E
+00 in Z direction. The torque of driven gear is 12.5N
cm which is got by the calculation of torque and
vector summation. The calculation of other moments
of different pole numbers are the same as stated above.
10 12 14 16 IS 20 22

Pole Numbers

The peak torque changed accordingly when the pole

Figure 2. Relationship between the pole numbers
number of magnetic gear increased from 4 to 8, 12,
and transmission torque of magnetic gear
and till 20 poles. Under the circumstances of that

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 The pole gap of magnetic gear = 1.0mm The pole gap of magnetic gear = 1.2mm
Figure 3. The finite element analysis of different pole gaps between magnetic gear

Table 2. The transmission torques in different air gaps (air-gap spacing: mm, transmission torque: N 'cm)

air-gap spacing 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2.0

transmission torque 24.5 22.3 20.2 18.4 18.3 18.2 18.5 18. 1

Pole numbers of design parameters have a certain
impact on magnetic torque. There is a certain
relationship between maximum transmission torque
and the pole numbers of magnetic gear. In eight poles,
the torque peaks, and then drops. From the above
analysis, we can draw a conclusion that eight poles is
the ideal state of strengthening magnetic torque.
3.2. The pole gap of magnetic gear
The pole gap between magnetic gears has a direct
impact on the transmission performance.
The following magnetic field strength analysis
results are the pole gap of the magnetic gear from the
value of O.6mm to 2.0mm(every O.2mm pole gap)
which is shown in Figure 3. Figure 3 is a diagram that
shows the trend relationship between the gaps of
magnetic ring and the magnetic forces.
According to the valves of transmission torques in
Table 2, Figure 4 is drawn. From Figure 4, when the
gap between two gears from 0.6 to l.2mm, the
maximum magnetic value is of a linear decline, and the
greater slope of the straight line, the faster decline.
From 1.2 to 2.0mm, the magnetic force has decreased,
but the amplitude is very small, and there is almost no
effect on magnetic force. But it does not mean that the
smaller gap the better. When the magnetic force
increases, it demands higher magnetic gear device at
the same time. So a number of factors should be
considered when setting up the gap between two
magnetic gears. Therefore, actual experimental results
analysis should be combined to the gap setting.

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 25 Relative angle between driving gear and driven gear
is assumed the 8, when 8 is 00, that is there is no comer

\
24
between two magnetic gears, transmission torque is
23
zero, and the magnetic gears are in a steady state.
5 22 When the driving gear begins to rotate, the driven gear

.\
is overloaded which can not to rotated, then the relative
21
comer 8 between two magnetic gears is greater than 00
.

20 When the relative angle increases, the transmission

"
>
torque of magnetic gear will also increase accordingly.
19
When the relative angle reaches half of the magnetic

\_.-
18 . distance, the transmission torque value is the
0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2.0 22
maximum, and the value is the maximum transmission
The Gap (mm)
. ...-.-- load value of magnetic gear. When the relative angle is
more than half of the magnetic distance, the
Figure 4. the relationship between the gap and transmission torque decreases according to the increase
torque values of relative angle. When distance is equivalent to a
magnet, the transmission torque value is zero. At this
3.3. The relative angle between the magnetic time, the magnetic gears are in a non-steady state.
gears Figure 5 shows when the relative angle changes, the
change of torque value between two magnetic gears
Magnetic gear has its maximum carrying capacity, under the circumstances that magnetic gears are in
that is the torque value generated by magnetic gear eight poles and Imm gear spacing. The analysis
when the critical tooth is going to be off. At this point, diagram only listed the situation that 8 turned away
the comer is formed between the two magnetic gear, half magnetic distance. From the analysis of diagram,
also known as lag angle 8. The angle has an impact on when 8 is greater than 00, the magnetic gear works in
the teeth off time of magnetic gear, so the rotation normal condition. Transmission torque increases with
angle would be analyzed to determine the maximum the increase of the angle and reaches the maxImum
torque value when a pair of magnetic gear drives. close to 112 pole inclination.

relative angle 8= 100 relative angle 8= 150

Figure 5. The finite element analysis of magnetic gears in different angles

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Table 3. The transmission torque of magnetic gear results with experimental results in order to lay a solid
in different angles(angle: degree, transmission foundation for the improvement of the transmission
torque: N cm) properties of magnetic gear.

angle 0 5 10 15 22.5 References

transmission
0 1 1.2 15. 1 19. 1 2 1.2
torque [ 1] Ikuta,K.Makita,S.Arimoto,Non-contact magnetic gear for
micro transmission mechanism,Micro Electro Mechanical
The Gap=lDlDl Systems, 199 1: 125- 130.
[2] Zhao Han,Tao Jun,Tian Jie,Shi-Jun Du, The implication
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of magnetic field integration method in the rare-earth
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Chinese Journal of Mechanical Engineering, 2000, 8(36): 29-
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...
10 20 30 40 50
Relative Angles (0) [5] Rizk,J.Nagrial,M.H.Hellany,Analysis and design of
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Figure 6. The relationship between transmission Electronics and Motion Control Conference, 2004, (3):
torques and relative angles of magnetic gears 1799- 1804.
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Figure.6 is the trend diagram which is drawn calculation of the torque of perma nent mag netic
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field intensity increases with the increase of rotation
angle, but after 22.5 (half of the magnet), decreases
with the increase of rotation angle. At 22.5 relative
rotation angle, the magnetic effect will form a
maximum torque of magnetic gear, which is the
maximum torque value when this pair of magnetic
gears is of critical off teeth.

4. Conclusion

The transmission performance of magnetic gear is

influenced by tooth shape, pole numbers, slenderness
ratio, air gap size between gears, magnet materials and
other parameters. Follow conclusion can be drawn by
using finite element analysis method. When other
parameters are the same and the number of poles
increases, the torque transmission increases first and
then decreased and reaches the largest when the pole
number is eight. The smaller gear gap, the stronger the
force between two gears, then the greater the torque
transmission. When the angle increases, the
transmission torque of magnetic gears increases first
and then decreases as periodic changes. The next step
is to establish cross-magnetic gear transmission
performance test platform to compare the simulation

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